Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Sunday rejected rumours that the government has abolished a subsidy on wheat for Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
In a statement, he said these rumours are baseless and being spread by vested interests to gain sympathies of the local people and get their votes during Legislative Assembly elections being held on Monday. He said Rs 6.5 billion have been fixed as subsidy on wheat for GB in the budget.
Earlier, former president Asif Ali Zardari had expressed grave concern over reports that the government is withdrawing a subsidy on wheat supplied to GB. He had declared that the PPP would resist any such move, and added that the withdrawal of the wheat subsidy from GB was a “thoughtless and callous” decision that would not only compound the miseries of the poor people but also deepen their sense of hurt.
Spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the former president called upon the government to immediately reverse the decision.
